Nov 2, 2008

The Pineapple guava is an evergreen shrub or small tree, 1–7m in height, originating from Uruguay, the highlands of southern Brazil, parts of Colombia and northern Argentina. The fruit matures in autumn and is green, ellipsoid-shaped and the size of a chicken egg. It has a sweet, aromatic flavor and a distinctive smell. The ester methyl benzoate smells strongly and the aroma of the fruit is caused mostly by this and other closely related esters.The flesh is juicy and is divided into a clear jelly-like seed pulp and a firmer, slightly opaque flesh nearer the skin. The fruit drops when ripe, but can be picked from the tree prior to the drop to prevent bruising. This plant is monotypic in its genus. Like the closely-related guava, the fruit pulp has a gritty texture which is utilized in some natural cosmetic products as an exfoliant.

The Cattleya guava is a medium-sized tree with glossy, deep green evergreen leaves about 5 cm long. New growth is reddish and it has a reddish-brown bark which peels. It is approximately 9 m high and about 7.5 m in width. Fruits are produced in spring and autumn from 2.6 cm white flowers, and the fruits usually are about 4 cm, round, with a shiny reddish color. Inside, the yellowish-white pulp has many hard seeds and the flesh has a pleasant sub-acid flavor. Fruits can be eaten fresh or used in jellies and jams.In the folk medicine, the leaves are used for diarrhea treatment. Some pharmacological activities include antispasmodic, hypotensive, antimalarial, hypoglycemic, anti-inflammatory, to decrease uric acid and as an antimicrobial.

Roman Cassie is an ornamental tree in the Fabaceae family. It is native to Uruguay, Chile, Paraguay, and Argentina. It grows 4m to 5m tall and has white thorns up to 2cm in length. It blooms in Spring with fragant, bright, yellow flowers, 1 to 2cm in diameter. Botanically it is closely related to Sweet Acacia, (Acacia smallii) sharing similar growth habits, flower color, shape, thorns and exhibiting high genetic variability. This variability may be due in part to its wide geographical distribution across a thick band of South America. At least 6 varieties of Roman cassies are recognized in South America, each tending to be geographically isolated.

A perennial climber with sparse, scrambling, woody stems. A milky latex oozes from the stems when they are cut or damaged. Its leaves are opposite, dull green on the upper surface and grey to white on the lower surface, sparsely hairy, triangular to pear shaped, tip pointed. The flowers are either white or pale pink, borne singly or arranged in loose clusters. This species yields fleshy pear-shaped fruits which contain many seeds. Each seed has a bunch of silky hairs at one end.

Why bilingual? For starters, Spanish is my native tongue. Secondly, English is still the universal language and the blog is meant to be accessible for anyone on the globe who is into Nature conservancy; particularly in getting to know Uruguay's flora and fauna.

"Hunting is merely a cowardly circumlocution for the cowardy murder of fellow creatures who do not have a chance. Hunting is a variant of human mental illness" Theodore Heuss (First president of the Republic of Germany; 1884-1963)

"When I was twelve, I went hunting with my father and we shot a bird. He was laying there and something struck me. Why do we call this fun to kill this creature who was as happy as I was when I woke up this morning?" (American and Canadian football coach, 1925-)

"May I walk unceasingly on the banks of my river, may my soul repose on the branches of the trees which I planted, and may I may refresh myself under the shadow of my sycamore tree".Egyptian tomb inscription, circa 1400 AD

"We must protect the forests for our children, grandchildren and children yet to be born. We must protect the forests for those who can't speak for themselves such as the birds, other animals and the trees."Chief Edward Moody, Qwatsinas, Nuxalk Nation

"No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main. If a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe is the less, as well as if promontory were... Any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind; and therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls: it tolls for thee".John Donne, English Metaphysical poet (1572 - 1631)